Why Was The Japanese Coast Guard Plane On The Runway?

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NEXT: KOREAN AIR RELEASES A NEW SAFETY VIDEO FEATURING VIRTUAL HUMANS BUT WHY?

Airlineratings.com is packed with information about air travel and answers questions that many of us may have thought of, but didn’t know who to ask. Well, now you do!

Airlineratings.com was developed to provide everyone in the world with a one-stop shop for everything related to airlines, formed by a team of aviation editors, who have forensically researched nearly every airline in the world.

Our rating system is rated from one to seven stars on safety – with seven being the highest ranking. Within each airline, you will find the country of origin, airline code, booking URL and seat map information. The rating system takes into account a number of different factors related to audits from aviation’s governing bodies, lead associations as well as the airline’s own safety data. Every airline has a safety rating breakdown so you can see exactly how they rate.

Over 230 of the airlines on the site that carry 99 per cent of the world’s passengers have a product rating. Given that low-cost, regional and full-service carriers are so different we have constructed a different rating system for each which can be found within each airline

Vietjet vs Vietnam Airlines

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In this week’s long-haul, low-cost vs full-service airline comparison, we take a look at Vietjet and Vietnam Airlines on a return flight from Melbourne to Ho Chi Minh (SGN).

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In perhaps the toughest review yet, the winner of this comparison between the two Vietnamese airlines will come down to seat selection and baggage.

Our flight to Ho Chi Minh will be taking place on August 11th and returning on August 26^th, 2023. Both Vietjet and Vietnam Airlines operate direct flights on this route with an A330 and A350 respectively.

Our return flight with Vietjet came to $597 AUD which included seat selection, 40kg of checked baggage, a 10kg carry-on bag, meal, and drink. There is no in-flight entertainment, Wi-Fi or in-seat power and extra snacks and drinks need to be purchased.

Our flight with Vietnam Airlines came in at $666 AUD which included meals, snacks, unlimited drinks, in-flight entertainment through seat back screens, in-seat power, blankets and pillows plus 23kg of baggage and a 7kg carry-on bag.

However, and this is where it gets interesting, when we add extra baggage and seat selection to the Vietnam Airlines booking to match Vietjet and compare ‘like with like’ the price jumps up an extra $600 AUD to make the total cost $1523 AUD.

If we take the baggage and seat selection out of the equation, then Vietnam Airlines with its onboard comfort and in-flight entertainment would be a winner. When we add extra baggage and seat selection to match the Vietjet offering then Vietjet becomes the winner with a far cheaper cost.

So, who is the winner? For the first time, we do not have a clear winner. Put simply, if you’re travelling with just 23kg of baggage and don’t mind where you sit then Vietnam Airlines is our choice, however, if you want more luggage and to choose your seat then we would choose Vietjet.

If you missed last week’s long-haul comparison between British Airways and Play check it out here

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Play vs British Airways Long Haul

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In this week’s long-haul, low-cost vs full-service airline comparison, we take a look at the ever-popular London to New York route. There are loads of full-service flight options for this route but we have opted to compare the UK’s legacy carrier, British Airways and the new Icelandic low-cost carrier, PLAY Airlines. For the first time yet in this series we had a very clear winner.

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Our return flight with PLAY came to $ 664 USD (£532) which includes an $80 USD allowance for meals, drinks and snacks on board, 20kg of checked luggage, carry-on baggage, seat selection and priority boarding. Amenity kits, blankets and pillows, in-flight entertainment, in-seat power and WiFi are not available.

Flights with Play departed and arrived at London Stansted and New York Stewart respectively. Each flight also stops over in Iceland for roughly 2 hours. The total flight time (including the stopover) from London to New York is 11h 15 and from New York to London 10h 20. New York Stewart is a small airport on the outskirts of New York and passengers need to allow approximately 90 minutes to get into New York Central (bus or train) and allow an additional $ 20-25 USD each way.

Our flight with British Airways came in cheaper at $605 USD (£485) which included meals, snacks, drinks, in-flight entertainment, amenities upon request, 23kg of baggage and a 7kg carry-on bag.

The flights with British Airways outbound departed from London Gatwick and arrived at JFK. Coming back they departed JFK and arrived at London Heathrow. Both flights are direct and fly into more ‘central’ airports.

On the topic of central airports, the centrality of these airports really depends on where you are going/living within each city. Where a city has multiple airports always factor the cost and time of getting to/from the airport into your final decision.

In terms of comfort, both airlines offer 30-31 inches of legroom and some seat recline. The aircraft operated on these flights are however very different with PLAY operating the single-aisle A321 and British Airways the far more comfortable twin-aisle Boeing 777.

In this week’s head-to-head we have a very clear winner in British Airways. British Airways offers not only a cheaper fare but far more comfort on board with included drinks, meals and in-flight entertainment. For the author flying into JFK rather than SWF is also a big factor in the decision and unless you are after a holiday in Iceland, a direct flight is usually preferable.

If you missed last week’s long-haul comparison between Scoot and Singapore Airlines check it out here

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Scoot vs Singapore Airlines

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In this week’s long-haul, low-cost vs full-service airline comparison, we take a look at Scoot and Singapore Airlines on two different flights from Singapore to Europe. Why two different destinations?

Scoot is Singapore Airlines’ low-cost subsidiary and provides passengers with direct flights into Europe via Athens or Berlin. Singapore Airlines operates direct flights to numerous ports in Europe however excludes those operated by Scoot. For this comparison, we used the direct flight with Scoot into Athens and the Singapore Airlines direct flight into Rome.

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Our return flight with Scoot came to $1830 SGD with the inclusion of a meal, snack and drink on each segment, a standard window seat, 30kg of checked baggage and a 10kg carry-on bag. Amenity kits such as blankets and pillows are also available for purchase ($24 SGD) on board but given most passengers wouldn’t buy these, we left that off the price for this exercise. I also added an additional $40 SGD to each flight ($80 in total) for the purchase of in-seat power, additional drinks, meals and snacks over the 11-hour flight.

Our flight with Singapore Airlines came in at $2787 SGD which included meals, snacks, unlimited drinks, in-flight entertainment, amenity kits, blankets and pillow plus 30kg of baggage and a 7kg carry-on bag.

In terms of comfort, Scoot offers 30-31 inches of legroom and Singapore Airlines 32 inches. Both offer an 18-inch seat width and a 6-inch seat recline.

Having flown both airlines multiple times the author can vouch for the value Scoot provides and the excellence in dining, inflight entertainment and comfort you receive on Singapore Airlines. Anyone who’s flown Singapore Airlines long haul will know what I mean.

Even though Scoot has no in-flight entertainment, less legroom, a buy-on-board menu and comfort packs that need to be purchased, with a saving of $957 SGD this author would have to choose Scoot over Singapore Airlines. The Rome flight is longer than the Athens flight (60-90 minutes) so you would expect a higher fare however not that high!

If the budget allowed and you aren’t travelling with anyone under 12, I would recommend upgrading your flight to the Scoot In Silence cabin for an additional $200 SGD

If money was no object, it would be Singapore Airlines all the way but looking at the value proposition of getting from Singapore to Europe, Scoot would be the easy choice on this occasion.

If you missed last week’s long-haul comparison between WestJet and Air Canada check it out here

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WestJet or Air Canada?

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This week we compare WestJet and Air Canada on a long-haul return flight from Calgary to London Heathrow. Considering the overall cost, comfort, aircraft and flight time we will see who offers the best value. This review will demonstrate why it is so important to check all prices on a route rather than simply assuming low cost is cheaper.

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Our economy flight to London will be taking place on September 11^th and returning on September 23^rd 2023. Both WestJet and Air Canada operate direct flights on this route with a Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

Our return flight with Westjet came to $1557 CAD with the inclusion of meals, snacks and drinks, in-flight entertainment through seat back screens, in-seat power, a standard window seat, blankets and pillows, 23kg of checked baggage and a 7kg carry-on bag. Wifi Is also available for a fee.

Our flight with Air Canada came in cheaper at $1507 CAD which included meals, snacks, unlimited drinks, in-flight entertainment through seat back screens, in-seat power, a standard window seat, blankets and pillows plus 23kg of baggage and a 7kg carry-on bag. Wifi Is also available for a fee.

What was particularly interesting about this flight comparison was not only that Air Canada was cheaper than its low-cost competitor Westjet but that Westjet actually offered more legroom and seat width in economy. It is unusual to find the low-cost carrier offering more personal space than a full-service carrier.

So which one would we pick to fly? With both airlines offering almost identical onboard service, having similar departure and arrival times plus the same aircraft, the choice has to come down to price. For this reason, the author would choose Air Canada but I would encourage anyone doing this route to compare the prices for both airlines for your specific dates and take your pick from there as both offer comfort and value so you can’t lose.

If you missed last week’s long-haul comparison between Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines check it out here

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Jetstar vs Qantas: Who offers the best value long haul?

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In this week’s long-haul, low-cost vs full-service airline comparison, we take a look at Jetstar vs Qantas on a flight from Sydney to Honolulu. Looking at cost, comfort, aircraft and flight time we will see who offers the best value.

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Our Jetstar vs Qantas fly-off to Honolulu will be taking place on August 28 to September 11^th, 2023. Both Jetstar and Qantas operate direct flights on this route with a 787 and A330 respectively.

Our return flight with Jetstar came to $1192 AUD with the inclusion of a meal, snack and four bottles of water on each segment, a standard window seat, access to the in-flight entertainment, 20kg of checked baggage and a 7kg carry-on bag. Amenity kits such as blankets and pillows are also available for $25 but given most passengers wouldn’t buy these, we left that off the price for this exercise.

Our flight with Qantas came in at $1494 which included meals, snacks, unlimited drinks, in-flight entertainment, amenities, 23kg of baggage and a 7kg carry-on bag.

In terms of comfort, the leg room is only one inch (or 2.5 cm) more on Qantas than Jetstar however the seat recline is roughly double. The actual seat width is virtually the same.

The Qantas A330 offers a comfortable 2-4-2 seating configuration across the plane where as the 787 is fitted out as 3-3-3.

Despite the layout of the A330 being one of my favourites, with a $302 AUD difference in the fare and a comparable level of comfort and flight time, in this example the author would opt to save that $302 for the destination and take Jetstar.

If you missed last week’s long-haul comparison between AirAsiaX and Malaysia Airlines check it out here

Are you enjoying our reviews so far? Are there any routes would you like us to evaluate? Place a comment below or get in touch via our social pages

REVIEW: Are low cost airlines really worth it for long haul flights?

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In the year post COVID we have seen the demand for travel rise like never before. There’s friends and family to catch up with, bucket lists to tick off and savings to be spent. However, the rise in demand has also resulted in an expected but significant rise in the price of airfares, accommodation, and experiences.

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Travellers are looking for ways to cut costs where they can and one of these is to consider a low-cost airline for their long-haul travel. On the surface, the low-cost airline fare is attractive and affordable but what is the real cost of travelling long haul by the time you add food, water, bags and seats? Let’s not forget the comfort factor too – on a long-haul flight every extra inch of space makes a difference.

To answer this question, we are compiling a series of low cost vs full service airline comparisons on certain routes around the world. We will look at cost and comfort to determine if long haul low cost is really worth it.

Our first comparison looks at the total cost and on board experience flying low cost AirAsiaX or full service legacy carrier Malaysia Airlines. Our trip from Kuala Lumpur to Auckland will depart on August 28 and return on September 15^th 2023.

Our flight with AirAsiaX came to 3854 MYR ($1305 AUD) with the inclusion of a meal and one small bottle of water on each flight leg, a standard window seat, 20kg of checked baggage and a 7kg carry on bag. Admittedly you would likely need to spend at least another 120 MYR ($40 AUD) to purchase extra drinks and snacks, but for this exercise we left that out. This airline offers no in flight entertainment or seat back power to recharge your device.

Our flight with Malaysia Airlines came in at 5174 MYR ($1753) which included meals, snacks, unlimited drinks, in flight entertainment, amenities, 20kg baggage and a 7kg carry on bag.

With a 1320 MYR ($448 AUD) difference in the fares the question of ‘which is better’ really comes down to where the traveller places value.

For the author (who is admittedly a tired mother to two babies), the thought of a direct flight with a little extra seat width, more seat recline, unlimited beverages, meals and snacks, a seat back screen for in-flight entertainment and a cosy blanket and pillow makes the extra cost worthwhile.

However, when discussing this with my 18 year old niece, the value for her is placed on the saving she can make flying long haul, low cost. For her, she can easily go without the comforts and endure the longer flight time to have that extra money in her pocket to spend at the destination.

Ural A320 to stay in field after crash

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Russian carrier Ural Airlines appears to have abandoned ambitions to retrieve its Airbus A320 which landed in a field after running low on fuel during a diversion back in September 2023.

The carrier informed the Izvestia newspaper that it explored various approaches to retrieve the Ural Airlines Airbus A320-200. These approaches and obstacles are outlined below:

Attempting to create a frozen surface for the jet’s takeoff, but the soil’s density proved insufficient, necessitating the construction of an artificial platform.
Contemplating the construction of a runway suitable for the aircraft, but this option was deemed impractical and costly due to the distance from Novosibirsk, which would require extensive material transportation.
Highlighting the expenses associated with renting the field where the A320 is located, in addition to maintenance costs and security measures required to safeguard the aircraft.

Ural Airlines conveyed to the newspaper that the aircraft would not return to commercial service. They have explored alternative solutions, including the possibility of dismantling it in sections and airlifting it via helicopter.

Ural flight U6-1383 with 159 passengers and 6 crew, was on final approach to Omsk’s runway from Sochi when the crew initiated a go around from about 600 meters due to a hydraulics failure. The aircraft climbed to 18000 feet and diverted to Novosibirsk about 320nm east of Omsk.

The A320 however never made it to Novosibirsk. Just 11km from the airport and with less than 5 minutes of fuel left, the decision was made to perform a forced emergency landing on an open field. Due to the hydraulic failure the landing gear doors remained open for the entire diversion which together with strong head winds increased fuel consumption.

The governor of Omsk stated that the crew reported a hydraulic problem affecting the brakes and were concerned the aircraft would not be able to stop on the runway in Omsk. The crew therefore diverted to Novosibirsk where longer runways (length 3,600 meters/11,800 feet) are available and sufficient to stop the aircraft despite the hydraulics failure. According to computations there should have been sufficient fuel on board to reach the aerodrome and land safely.

Aviation Herald share the summarized report by the captain.

The aircraft had been inspected without any anomalies for departure from Moscow Domodedovo towards Sochi. The flight from Sochi had been normal until final approach into Omsk. The winds were gusting in Omsk, the aircraft was heavy, so that the commander decided to not take the risk of trying to land in Omsk and decided to take the aircraft to Novosibirsk. During the go around a hydraulic failure occurred after gear retraction, green hydraulic pressure was lost after gear retracted, the nose gear doors remained open as result of insufficient hydraulic pressure. They computed the fuel and found they should have about 1200kg of fuel left in Novosibirsk. While in flight to Novosibirsk the fuel quantity suddenly began to critically decrease, the crew declared emergency, instructed cabin crew to prepare for an emergency landing and began to look out for a suitable landing field. When only about 5 minutes of fuel was left they spotted the landing site and landed the aircraft there successfully, only the nose gear was fractured.

READ: More about Ural Airlines safety

Best Long Haul Airlines For 2024 Announced

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AirlineRatings.com has announced its Best Long Haul Airlines for 2024 with Air France, Korean Air, Cathay Pacific Airways, Air New Zealand, Qatar Airways and Air Canada as this year’s winners.

Best Long-Haul Airlines

Europe; Air France

North Asia; Korean Air

Asia: Cathay Pacific Airways

Pacific: Air New Zealand

Middle-East: Qatar Airways

Americas: Air Canada

For rankings, the editors of AirlineRatings.com, some of the most experienced and awarded, combine international industry and government audits, with another 11 key criteria that include: fleet age, passenger review ratings from several sources, investment rating, and key product offerings to arrive at a ranking. Added to that the editors monitor passenger feedback as well as personal experience.

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Airlineratings.com is packed with information about air travel and answers questions that many of us may have thought of, but didn’t know who to ask. Well, now you do!

Airlineratings.com was developed to provide everyone in the world with a one-stop shop for everything related to airlines, formed by a team of aviation editors, who have forensically researched nearly every airline in the world.

Our rating system is rated from one to seven stars on safety – with seven being the highest ranking. Within each airline, you will find the country of origin, airline code, booking URL and seat map information. The rating system takes into account a number of different factors related to audits from aviation’s governing bodies, lead associations as well as the airline’s own safety data. Every airline has a safety rating breakdown so you can see exactly how they rate.

Over 230 of the airlines on the site that carry 99 per cent of the world’s passengers have a product rating. Given that low-cost, regional and full-service carriers are so different we have constructed a different rating system for each which can be found within each airline.

The 10 Most Frequently Asked Questions on MH370 Answered.

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Here is a list of the 10 most asked questions about MH370 authored by MH370 expert Mr Richard Godfrey.

1. Why was the northern arc never searched properly?

Inmarsat scientists, Chris Aston et al., published a paper in the Journal of Navigation titled “The Search for MH370” on 4th September 2014. They explain that the Burst Frequency Offset (BFO) satellite data shows that MH370 followed a southern route and not a northern route. The measured BFO frequencies match the predicted South track, but not the predicted North track. The Inmarsat paper can be found at the following link:

2. Why was it abandoned so quickly?

The evidence supplied was independently verified by a number of MH370 analysts. The authorities accepted the evidence and decided not to search the Northern route.

3. Why didn’t you or the BBC refer to it, even though the screen showed the complete arc when talking about the handshakes?

The BBC did refer to it. The documentary relates that evidence found by Inmarsat scientists using satellite data shows that the “aircraft continued flying for seven more hours” after the diversion, that there were “seven boundaries known as arcs, which MH370 must have crossed” and that “a more detailed analysis revealed that it turned south after living the Strait of Malacca.” I agree that the evidence was left out in the documentary.

4. The FR24 glossary defines ELT as Emergency Locator Transmitter. “Activated automatically upon impact, the ELT emits distress signals … to locate the aircraft’s position swiftly”. Can the ELT be turned off with the other aircraft information systems as Capt. Zaharie is supposed to have done?

The Boeing 777 has four ELTs. There is a fixed Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) located above the ceiling of the aft passenger cabin, which is automatically activated on impact. There are 3 other ELTs on MH370, one portable ELT in the cockpit and two portable in life rafts, but these are only activated on demand. The fixed ELT can only be switched between ‘ARMED’ and ‘ON’ in the cockpit. The device is accessible via a ceiling panel at station 1880 above the aft passenger cabin close to the aft galley. You would require a step ladder or equivalent in order to gain access. Once access to the device is gained, the ELT can theoretically be disabled by switching the front panel switch to off or disconnecting the antenna.

5. I have not come across a reference to ELT in all the reading and research I have done. If there was no ELT transmission from MH370, why was that?

There was no ELT transmission received from MH370. A review of ICAO accident records over the last 30 years prior to 2014 indicated that of 173 accidents involving aircraft fitted with ELTs, only 39 cases recorded effective ELT activation.

6. I know there were supposed to be some bleeps from the ‘black box’, but as I understand it, they were never verified. There would be no emission of ELT if the plane were safely landed somewhere, would there?

The aircraft did not land safely somewhere, as we have recovered 43 items of floating debris in various locations around the Indian Ocean. Most of this debris is either proven to be from MH370 or highly likely to be from MH370 as the only Boeing 777 ever to have crashed in the Indian Ocean.

7. As far as I know there have never been any details of what the mega spyware kept by the USA at Pine Gap in Australia, and on Diego Garcia, knew about MH370. They can monitor almost anything almost anywhere on the planet. If MH370 turned south when it passed the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, it was about 1800 miles from Diego Garcia. If it flew south, and if it passed east of Diego Garcia, it was only about 1000 miles away, and if it reached the search area west of Perth, it was within range of Pine Gap too. Am I wrong about all of that?

MH370 passed within range of Over-The-Horizon-Radar systems at the US base on Diego Garcia as well as ‘five eyes’ bases in Australia at Pine Gap, Leonora, Laverton, Longreach, Stonehenge, Mount Everard, Harts Range and the Harald Holt station. I have a friend who worked on JORN and another who worked the Harald Holt station on radar systems, but not on submarine underwater communications.

8. Has anyone asked the USA what it knows about the plane? If so, what did the Americans say?

Despite Freedom of Information requests regarding the FBI investigation, all information has been declined on the grounds of national security.

9. In your analysis of the radio interruptions, what caused you to decide that a route heading south was the one to look for?

The last known position of MH370, based on the Butterworth primary civilian radar, was 5.589118°N 99.165228°E at 18:01 UTC. The regional radar data contains 1,394 regular estimates of latitude and longitude at approximately 3 second intervals from 16:41:43 UTC to 18:00:51 UTC from four radar stations with three small gaps. A single additional latitude and longitude position was reported at 18:22:12 UTC but discounted due to the large gap to the penultimate radar position and possible inaccuracy due to the long range. From the last known position, 313 WSPR anomalies between 7th March 2014 between 18:00 UTC and 8th March 2014 00:28 UTC at a total of 195 points in time that were analysed. This represents a very accurate flight path.

10. How can you be sure that it was MH370 which caused the ‘ripples’?

WSPR uses two principles, firstly that radio waves can be reflected by an aircraft, as has been used in radar systems since 1935 and secondly that radio waves can propagate using ionospheric refraction and Earth surface reflection, as has been used since 1901. We have conducted tests with over 1,000 aircraft in different locations around the globe.

Want to read the answers to another six questions? Then click here.

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Airlineratings.com is packed with information about air travel and answers questions that many of us may have thought of, but didn’t know who to ask. Well, now you do!

Airlineratings.com was developed to provide everyone in the world with a one-stop shop for everything related to airlines, formed by a team of aviation editors, who have forensically researched nearly every airline in the world.

Our rating system is rated from one to seven stars on safety – with seven being the highest ranking. Within each airline, you will find the country of origin, airline code, booking URL and seat map information. The rating system takes into account a number of different factors related to audits from aviation’s governing bodies, lead associations as well as the airline’s own safety data. Every airline has a safety rating breakdown so you can see exactly how they rate.

Over 230 of the airlines on the site that carry 99 per cent of the world’s passengers have a product rating. Given that low-cost, regional and full-service carriers are so different we have constructed a different rating system for each which can be found within each airline.

Airlineratings.com has information on over 30 types of aircraft from the latest Boeing 787 to the A380 and smaller jets.

Best of all, there are simple answers to many of the quirky questions including:

“What are all those noises after takeoff and before landing?”
“Why do you have to put the window shades up for landing and takeoff?”
“What is a winglet and what is it for?
“Why is it so costly to fly short distances?”
“How often is an aircraft maintained?
“How strong is a wing?”
“How do they test aircraft”
“How often do plane tires need to be replaced?”

Deeper Understanding Into Final Moments Of MH370

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To read the rest of the report click this link.

British Aerospace engineer and MH370 expert Richard Godfrey has published fascinating details of the last minutes of the flight of MH370 which reinforces his WSPRnet technology which has pinpointed a final resting place for the Boeing 777.

The analysis on his website is compelling reading and reveals once again Mr Godfrey’s deep understanding of everything Boeing 777 and how the various factors give us a clear picture of the final resting place of Mh370.

Mr Godfrey using WSPR tracking to follow MH 370 has identified an area between 39.9 nmi and 40.9 nmi from the 7th Arc at 00:19:29 UTC on March 8, 2024. That area is 1560km west of Perth, Western Australia as under;

Mr Godfrey’s post starts thus:

“There has been discussion again recently about the missing Inmarsat satellite data from the In-Flight Entertainment (IFE) setup message, which was not received as expected at around 00:21:06 UTC, around 90 seconds following the Satellite Data Unit (SDU) reboot, which started at 00:19:29.416 UTC and was acknowledged at 00:19:37.443 UTC. The SDU reboot is thought to have occurred due to the Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) coming online following dual engine flameout and fuel exhaustion to the engines and just prior to fuel exhaustion to the APU.

“The APU fuel feed is lower in the fuel tank and allows 30 lbs of fuel to the APU after fuel exhaustion to the main engines, assuming the aircraft is in a normal flight attitude. The APU when electrically loaded runs for a maximum of 13 minutes 45 seconds on 30 lbs of fuel.

“When both engines flame out, the APU autostart sequence begins and takes around 60 seconds for power to come online. We know that the SDU reboot started at 00:19:29.416 UTC and from the manufacturer’s tests the SDU required approximately 60 seconds to transmit a log-on request after the power application. This means the APU came online at around 00:18:30 UTC and the autostart sequence commenced around 00:17:30 UTC and the APU fuel would last at a maximum until 00:32:15 UTC.

“The failure to receive the IFE signal is falsely used by some MH370 analysts as proof that the crash occurred before 00:21:06 UTC and therefore the crash was close to the 7th Arc.

“As Capt. Patrick Blelly points out, it is perfectly possible that one or both engines were shut down at the end of flight to preserve fuel for the APU in order to provide essential hydraulic and electrical power to the aircraft. Capt. Patrick Blelly further points out that this would enable the flaps to be extended for a controlled ditching. Capt. Patrick Blelly and Jean-Luc Marchand show that an active pilot can perform a glide with 30° flaps extended and this could result in a controlled ditching between 00:28:20 UTC and 00:35:30 UTC. The crash point in this case is between 45.4 nmi and 66.8 nmi from the 7th Arc at 00:19:29 UTC.

“However, the hypothesis that the flaps were extended is in contradiction to the ATSB findings, where they point out that the damage to the Outboard Flap recovered from Pemba Island, Tanzania that they subsequently analysed shows that it was not extended at impact.

“The Ram Air Turbine (RAT) can also be deployed manually from the cockpit overhead panel or automatically when hydraulic or electrical power is lost from the main engines and the APU. The RAT does not provide hydraulics to be able to extend the flaps however, the pilot would require APU power for flap extension……”

In summary, Mr Godfrey says:

The WSPR crash location aligns with the:

1. Boeing fuel endurance and fuel range.

2. Inmarsat satellite data.

3. Boeing end-of-flight simulations.

4. ATSB found that the flaps were not extended.

5. Damage to 43 items of MH370 floating debris recovered around the Indian Ocean that show the crash was a high energy impact.

6. UWA drift analysis predicted a crash area between 28.297°S and 33.172°S long on the 7th Arc.

GET: Accurate MH370 Information From AirlineRatings.com Newsletter

Airlineratings.com is packed with information about air travel and answers questions that many of us may have thought of, but didn’t know who to ask. Well, now you do!

Airlineratings.com was developed to provide everyone in the world with a one-stop shop for everything related to airlines, formed by a team of aviation editors, who have forensically researched nearly every airline in the world.

Our rating system is rated from one to seven stars on safety – with seven being the highest ranking. Within each airline, you will find the country of origin, airline code, booking URL and seat map information. The rating system takes into account a number of different factors related to audits from aviation’s governing bodies, lead associations as well as the airline’s own safety data. Every airline has a safety rating breakdown so you can see exactly how they rate.

Over 230 of the airlines on the site that carry 99 per cent of the world’s passengers have a product rating. Given that low-cost, regional and full-service carriers are so different we have constructed a different rating system for each which can be found within each airline.

Airlineratings.com has information on over 30 types of aircraft from the latest Boeing 787 to the A380 and smaller jets.

Best of all, there are simple answers to many of the quirky questions including:

“What are all those noises after takeoff and before landing?”
“Why do you have to put the window shades up for landing and takeoff?”
“What is a winglet and what is it for?
“Why is it so costly to fly short distances?”
“How often is an aircraft maintained?
“How strong is a wing?”
“How do they test aircraft”
“How often do plane tires need to be replaced?”

Significant Middle-East Airspace Closed To Airlines

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Significant areas of Middle-East airspace have closed as Iran launched a massive attack on Israel with over 300 drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles.

Virtually all the drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles were shot down.

The areas of Middle-East Airspace include Iraq, Jordan, Israel, and Lebanon; large parts of Iranian airspace are closed to civilian airlines with airlines using Saudi airspace to connect Asia with Europe.

The US Air Force deployed its military radar aircraft – the KC-135 – (below) over Iraq to assist the Israeli defence along with fighter jets.

The airspace remains closed with commercial aircraft flying over Saudia Arabia and Egypt to get to Europe OR over Eastern Iran.

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Airlineratings.com is packed with information about air travel and answers questions that many of us may have thought of, but didn’t know who to ask. Well, now you do!

Airlineratings.com was developed to provide everyone in the world with a one-stop shop for everything related to airlines, formed by a team of aviation editors, who have forensically researched nearly every airline in the world.

Our rating system is rated from one to seven stars on safety – with seven being the highest ranking. Within each airline, you will find the country of origin, airline code, booking URL and seat map information. The rating system takes into account a number of different factors related to audits from aviation’s governing bodies, lead associations as well as the airline’s own safety data. Every airline has a safety rating breakdown so you can see exactly how they rate.

Over 230 of the airlines on the site that carry 99 per cent of the world’s passengers have a product rating. Given that low-cost, regional and full-service carriers are so different we have constructed a different rating system for each which can be found within each airline.

Airlineratings.com has information on over 30 types of aircraft from the latest Boeing 787 to the A380 and smaller jets.

Best of all, there are simple answers to many of the quirky questions including:

“What are all those noises after takeoff and before landing?”
“Why do you have to put the window shades up for landing and takeoff?”
“What is a winglet and what is it for?
“Why is it so costly to fly short distances?”
“How often is an aircraft maintained?
“How strong is a wing?”
“How do they test aircraft”
“How often do plane tires need to be replaced?”

Fighting To Be Heard – An Amazing Book About The Birth of The Regional Jet

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Every once in a while, a book comes along that lifts the bar and redefines the standard of aviation research and storytelling.

Fighting To Be Heard is just such a book in the same way the late John Wegg’s 576-page Caravelle book redefined the art back in 2005.

The British Aerospace 146 was truly the beginning of the “RJ” (aka Regional Jet), which has become commonplace in air travel today. Although the BAe 146 was ahead of its time, the program, the company, and the aircraft were plagued with many challenges.

As a result, the BAe 146 became the last commercial aircraft to be built in the United Kingdom. The title signifies the uphill battle British Aerospace faced in trying to convince airlines to buy and operate the world’s quietest jet.

The author, Brian Wiklem spent over four years researching and interviewing a wide range of people involved with the BAe 146, including airlines and operators that flew this unique aircraft.

The G-Luxe Special Edition comes in a sturdy box with a CD and USB with a wealth of videos, photos, and marketing brochures that round off what is the most magnificent book ever written about an aircraft.

But it is more than that it is about the hopes and dreams of British aviation – the last gasp of a once incredibly proud aircraft industry that pioneered so many innovations in commercial aviation.

And so it is with the BAe146 – being super quiet it blazed a trail for the environment and it was decades ahead of its time.

Fighting to be Heard is the definitive history of the British Aerospace BAe 146 a subject very close to the author’s heart. Mr Wiklem tells the intimate behind-the-scenes story of the unlikely 4-engine jet and the airlines it served. His passion for the subject is unmatched, this book is truly must have for any commercial aviation enthusiast.

It is just a brilliant piece of work and one is amazed at the effort that has gone into producing it.

The standard version costs US$80 and can be ordered by clicking this link.

You get:

Hardcover, large format book measuring approximately 12 x 11 inches
500 pages on high-quality paper (157gsm), weighing nearly 12 pounds (6kg) by itself
Over 700 images and photographs, most in colour
20 chapters with over 100,000 words telling the complete story

The G-Luxe Special Edition costs US$146 and can be ordered by clicking this link.

You get:

Fighting to be Heard: Standard Edition
32GB 146 branded light-up USB Drive with over 400 brochures, press releases, marketing pieces, artwork, newsletters and more!
Blu-Ray features nearly 7 hours of video content.
Aircraft plate
Storage case
Free domestic U.S. shipping

*British Airways Avro RJ100. Credit: John Dibb via British Airways*

Thomas Talks To Skynews About Boeing Incidents

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READ: I would be happy to fly Boeing

AirlineRatings.com Editor-in-Chief Geoffrey Thomas talks to Skynews Australia about Boeing safety and Qantas’s new frequent flyer program.

Mr Thomas told viewers that flying has never been safer and that there are as many incidents involving Boeing as Airbus.

Airlineratings.com we did a survey of major incidents for 2023 and up to March 23rd 2024 and the results were fascinating.

We found that there were 515 significant incidents involving Airbus aircraft and 545 involving Boeing aircraft which is not surprising as there are slightly more Boeing aircraft flying than Airbus types. In almost all cases the incidents had nothing to do with Airbus or Boeing but were airline or weather-related.

Balance those numbers against the total number of commercial flights per year of over 40 million or 110,000 a day!

GET: Accurate MH370 Information From AirlineRatings.com Newsletter

Airlineratings.com is packed with information about air travel and answers questions that many of us may have thought of, but didn’t know who to ask. Well, now you do!

Airlineratings.com was developed to provide everyone in the world with a one-stop shop for everything related to airlines, formed by a team of aviation editors, who have forensically researched nearly every airline in the world.

Our rating system is rated from one to seven stars on safety – with seven being the highest ranking. Within each airline, you will find the country of origin, airline code, booking URL and seat map information. The rating system takes into account a number of different factors related to audits from aviation’s governing bodies, lead associations as well as the airline’s own safety data. Every airline has a safety rating breakdown so you can see exactly how they rate.

Over 230 of the airlines on the site that carry 99 per cent of the world’s passengers have a product rating. Given that low-cost, regional and full-service carriers are so different we have constructed a different rating system for each which can be found within each airline.

Airlineratings.com has information on over 30 types of aircraft from the latest Boeing 787 to the A380 and smaller jets.

Best of all, there are simple answers to many of the quirky questions including:

“What are all those noises after takeoff and before landing?”
“Why do you have to put the window shades up for landing and takeoff?”
“What is a winglet and what is it for?
“Why is it so costly to fly short distances?”
“How often is an aircraft maintained?
“How strong is a wing?”
“How do they test aircraft”
“How often do plane tires need to be replaced?”

Love Flying? You Will Love These DC-3 Videos

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If you love flying, you will love these two magnificent DC-3 videos shot in the North-West of the US.

Aerometal International, the world’s premier restorer and maintainer of vintage aircraft and ParkAir Vision, produced these videos.

Sit back and enjoy the vision and the music.

GET: Accurate MH370 Information From AirlineRatings.com Newsletter

Airlineratings.com is packed with information about air travel and answers questions that many of us may have thought of, but didn’t know who to ask. Well, now you do!

Airlineratings.com was developed to provide everyone in the world with a one-stop shop for everything related to airlines, formed by a team of aviation editors, who have forensically researched nearly every airline in the world.

Our rating system is rated from one to seven stars on safety – with seven being the highest ranking. Within each airline, you will find the country of origin, airline code, booking URL and seat map information. The rating system takes into account a number of different factors related to audits from aviation’s governing bodies, lead associations as well as the airline’s own safety data. Every airline has a safety rating breakdown so you can see exactly how they rate.

Over 230 of the airlines on the site that carry 99 per cent of the world’s passengers have a product rating. Given that low-cost, regional and full-service carriers are so different we have constructed a different rating system for each which can be found within each airline.

Airlineratings.com has information on over 30 types of aircraft from the latest Boeing 787 to the A380 and smaller jets.

Best of all, there are simple answers to many of the quirky questions including:

“What are all those noises after takeoff and before landing?”
“Why do you have to put the window shades up for landing and takeoff?”
“What is a winglet and what is it for?
“Why is it so costly to fly short distances?”
“How often is an aircraft maintained?
“How strong is a wing?”
“How do they test aircraft”
“How often do plane tires need to be replaced?”

Why Are There Two Premium Economy Awards?

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Why has AirlineRatings this year announced a Best Premium Economy AND Best Value Premium Economy Airline Excellence 2024 award? The answer comes down to value and the wide range of offerings in Premium Economy.

We have awards for the best cabin classes across full-service (or legacy) airlines as well as awards for our low-cost carriers, but when looking at Premium Economy we noticed something we had neglected in previous years.

Premium Economy has expanded across a variety of airlines but not all are equal. There’s the best of the best and then there’s the one that offers far greater comfort but with a better value proposition.

So what’s the difference?

Price, legroom, amenity kits and the biggest one? Food and meal service. Are you served Business class meals from the business cabin OR are you served economy style meals from the economy cabin?

When looking at this year’s winners, Air New Zealand and Vietnam Airlines, the differences become clear.

Air New Zealand (ANZ) offers a generous 41-inch seat pitch (104.1cm) and a 19.3-inch seat width with a nine-inch (23cm) recline and a five-inch wide armrest. This is among the most generous offered by any airline in Premium Economy. There are also noise-cancelling headphones, a luxury blanket, dedicated cabin staff as well as delicious food and wines from the business class menu including linen and glassware.

Vietnam Airlines offers an equally generous seat pitch of 107 cm and 18cm recline on the 787 and a smaller, though still very comfortable 96cm seat pitch with a 15cm recline on the A350. Vietnam Airlines also offers noise-cancelling headphones, blankets, pillows and amenity kits but the food served is from the economy cabin in economy style presentation.

Vietnam Airlines Premium Economy meal — Vietnam Airlines Premium Economy Meal

So straight away we have two attractive but also different premium economy experiences and if all we looked at was ‘what’s the best one‘ we would pick ANZ. However, when you look at price this is where things start to change and why we needed two awards in this category.

Now unless two airlines are operating on the same route it’s always difficult to do a solid and fair comparison. However, in attempting to do this we have looked at return direct flights with both airlines on flights of almost equal distance. For Vietnam Airlines: Ho Chi Minh – San Francisco October 16th – October 23rd 2024, and for Air New Zealand, Auckland to Vancouver October 15 -22nd 2024.

The Air New Zealand flight came in at USD 2968 and the Vietnam Airlines flight was USD 2372. That’s a huge difference of USD 596 (AUD 900, NZD 987 and VND 14898510.00).

The award to ANZ for Best Premium Economy was a tight race between other incredible airlines like Emirates, ANA, Japan Airlines, Qantas, Virgin Atlantic and Cathay Pacific. The space, seat recline, duvet, armrest space, amenity kit and Business Class meals gave ANZ the edge but it also comes at the higher end of the price bracket

Vietnam Airlines offers a comparable amount of space and seat recline, especially on the 787 and provides amenities, blankets and pillows. Still, it does lack in the food and beverage department when compared to ANZ. Vietnam Airlines also comes in at a far lesser price point giving you perhaps a greater sense of value.

So here we have it: Two airlines offering a superior product to economy class but with two key differences: meal service and price point. We are delighted to be able to break this cabin class down in to two categories and present the best Premium Economy award to Air New Zealand and the best Value Premium Economy award to Vietnam Airlines.

Qantas Australia Domestic Sale

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